New England’s distinctive pink brick mill buildings are a tangible reminder of the area’s function in America’s manufacturing historical past.
Boott Mills in Lowell, MA, for instance, was based in 1821 for the aim of producing cotton textiles and woolen items. The mills have been located close to the 110-mile mighty Merrimack River; canals have been constructed to benefit from hydropower. To the north, the New Hampshire Manufacturing Corp, situated on the Nashua River, additionally manufactured cotton textiles and woolen items.
The textile mills marked the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, and cities throughout New England started to develop as industrialists and inventors based machine outlets, iron foundries, railroad outlets, and varied different companies.
At this time, these iconic pink brick mill buildings are relics. Some stand empty, ready for somebody with imaginative and prescient to carry them again to life. Others have been repurposed into condos or mixed-use residential / industrial considerations. And nonetheless others have been demolished.
Greenerd Press & Machine Firm of Nashua, NH, has additionally performed a key function in New England’s industrial story.
First a producer of Arbor Presses within the early Eighteen Eighties, and at present state-of-the-art hydraulic presses, Greenerd’s story is exclusive as a result of it’s additionally intwined with its vibrant and historic mill constructing.
Greenerd’s manufacturing historical past
Based in 1883 in Boston, MA, the corporate started doing enterprise as Greenerd Arbor Press Firm when Edwin E. Bartlett bought patents for the machine.
It was Robert Greenerd who developed and patented the Arbor Press. A operated by hand machine, the Arbor Press integrated “a rack and pinion mechanism to generate massive urgent forces with exact management.” It additionally eradicated a primitive sledgehammer technique of urgent an arbor right into a lathe.
After buying the patents, Bartlett labored with the Massachusetts Institute of Expertise to develop the Arbor Press from a easy small machine into a posh of particular machine varieties “designed to press as much as 30 tons using compound gears and leverages. With these and different enhancements, Greenerd Arbor Press developed a status for high quality and craftsmanship.” (Supply: Classic Machine — all hyperlinks under.)
With enterprise booming, Bartlett wanted extra space. He first relocated to South Boston, after which in 1903, he moved the corporate to 41 Crown Road in Nashua, NH – the place the corporate has been situated ever since.
Splendidly preserved, the Greenerd mill constructing is nestled right into a blended use residential neighborhood. Instantly subsequent door is a double-decker two household residence; down the road are a number of different mill buildings blended in with different residences plus smaller companies.
It appears like a quiet working class neighborhood indistinguishable from the following, besides it’s not – and that’s due to its historical past.
“The mill buildings have been owned by the William Bartlett Co.,” says Tom M. Lavoie, Purposes Engineering Supervisor for Greenerd Press & Machine Firm. “We imagine our constructing was used for sample making. The constructing behind us was the foundry; the others have been centered on machining and meeting.”
I spent a number of hours researching Nasha’s historical past, however had a tough time confirming the early historical past of the Wm. Bartlett Co. I’m surmising it’s as a result of the corporate, and Crown Road itself, performed a smaller function to their a lot bigger textile mill cousin, the Nashua Manufacturing Corp. situated on the Nashua River; therefore, it didn’t get as a lot consideration.
Nevertheless, proof does recommend Lavoie is right. By 1878, Nashua was the second largest metropolis in NH, with six main interconnected railroad traces. The rail traces truly run behind the Crown Road buildings – which might have made it straightforward for Bartlett and different producers to “ship freight and product anyplace on the earth affordably and simply,” in accordance with the Metropolis of Nashua web site.
In keeping with Lavoie, the army bought 1000’s of Arbor Presses for munitions meeting and manufacture for each World Wars. Don Moodie, son of the second firm proprietor, William Moodie, instructed Lavoie that he had heard from the Bartlett household that prepare automobiles used to tug up outdoors of Greenerd the place they’d load tons of of Arbor Presses on them for cargo to the munitions factories.
After my tour with Lavoie, I did a stroll round outdoors the constructing however couldn’t find a rail spur except it was method within the again.
Within the photograph under, of the store flooring taken within the Nineteen Sixties, you’ll be able to see the leather-based belts coming from the ceiling to the machines to energy them. Lavoie confirmed that the Merrimack River (a really brief stroll from the manufacturing facility) did, at one time, play a task within the operating of the machines at Greenerd – though by 1960, the manufacturing facility would have been totally electrified.
Greenerd Press & Machine at present
The corporate constructed its first hydraulic press in 1934; three years later, the corporate identify was modified to Greenerd Press & Machine.
Whereas the corporate nonetheless sells some Arbor Presses, its primary concern is creating customized hydraulic presses to satisfy particular software challenges – from synthetic pores and skin to straightening 40-foot lengthy Cannon tubes to all issues in-between.
The corporate was the primary hydraulic press producer so as to add an HMI – or visible interface – for digital management of press capabilities, amongst different improvements.
At present, the Greenerd workforce consists of 25 individuals who construct between 20 and 70 machines a yr, relying on sort and product combine. All Greenerd hydraulic presses are designed, engineered, and constructed to buyer necessities.
“We design, spec, and domestically supply all parts,” says Lavoie. “We construct all our personal energy items and spec each element in them, together with the valves, coils, and so on. The electronics in our PLC items – we supply these domestically as effectively. We design, engineer, and set up any element add-ons, akin to Fanuc robotic arms.
“Each press is constructed proper right here in Nashua and is backed by the New England delight and high quality that made Greenerd a reputation individuals may belief over 100 years in the past.”
The corporate was owned by the Bartlett household till 1962, when it was bought to William Moodi; his son Donald Moodie ran it till 2012, when he bought it to Jerry Letendre and his spouse Dafney Phua, who’s the CEO.
The very fact they’re solely the third house owners within the firm’s 143 yr historical past is a testomony to the corporate’s energy and longevity.
Since taking on, Jerry and Dafney have been making enhancements, akin to changing the home windows and restoring the extensive pine flooring – that are attractive! It’s the very first thing I seen after I got here into the constructing.
Lavoie took me upstairs in order that I may see the outdated belt pully mechanisms connected to the ceiling that Letendre has restored. The upstairs area, with the solar streaming by way of the large home windows, took my breath away.
Says Lavoie, “Letendre’s intent is to additionally restore the machines. However for now, the store guys use this area to work out or take a break.”
An incredible story of an organization . . . and a constructing
“Longevity is a part of our historical past,” sums up Lavoie. “I’ve been right here 30 years. The man I changed had been right here 50 years. Our service supervisor – he has 46 years. However we’re additionally cognizant of change. Now we have a brand new crew of engineers and meeting individuals coming in and that’s good.”
Once we completed our tour, I discovered myself sitting in my automobile, gazing on the stunning brick constructing with its home windows glinting within the solar and neatly trimmed grass. It felt alive, affluent, and prepared for an additional 100 years.
“What an incredible story,” I saved considering, after which my ideas turned fanciful.
If buildings have souls, which I imagine they do, then the Greenerd mill is an excellent instance of how a well-cared for constructing, and the individuals who work in it, nurture and maintain each other.
As with individuals, buildings want a objective. Kudos to Greenerd for persevering with to construct machines in its historic mill – and for retaining manufacturing proper right here in america.
Thanks, Tom Lavoie, on your time and perspective on a late Friday morning. I very a lot loved it!
To be taught extra about Greenerd Press & Machine, go to their web site: www.Greenerd.com.
Hyperlinks
“Edwin E. Barlett and the Arbor Press,” VintageMachinery.org
“Historical past of Nashua,” Nashua.gov
Arial view of Crown Road, Nashua, LoopNet
Video of Greenerd #3 Arbor Press, 3 Ton Kind, YouTube
“Stamping 101: How does a hydraulic press work?” The Fabricator, October 2021
Full Disclosure
I’m not paid nor requested to put in writing about merchandise or the businesses that make them. All hyperlinks on this piece are FREE — which means, they’re not sponsored or paid for.
My mission is to maintain manufacturing jobs stateside and this weblog is my method of giving again. We wish to assume a “small” alternative, akin to buying one thing made within the US by American employees, gained’t make a distinction. It does.
Source link
